Discussion Solving the problems of space combat in Orbiter

[Andy44]

But the minigun definitely has the cool factor. My roommate kept pointing out how impractical it was, but man did it have the cool factor.

Can't argue that it's not cool.:speakcool:

It would be useful in a BattleTech scenario.

 

[Eagle]

Can't argue that it's not cool.:speakcool:

It would be useful in a BattleTech scenario.

Yeah, BattleTech is all about the cool but impractical.

 

[chourave]

What are you thinking of the metal storm gun.

No reload no moving part, no lubrifiant problems

 

[Ghostrider]

What are you thinking of the metal storm gun.

No reload no moving part, no lubrifiant problems

The main use I see for Metal Storm-type weapons is as CIWS to shred incoming missiles, although in a space environment it would have little effect since the disrupted mass of the projectile would still be coming at you.

I'd go for a revolver-like cannon firing caseless or gyrojet-like ammo at this point. It's simpler than a chaingun and by rotating the firing chamber you can move it down into a cooling apparatus so that by the time it has rotated to the loading position again it has cooled down enough not to self-ignite.

 

[Brycesv1]

also. any judicious use of projectiles would alter your own trajectory. the recoil from rapid fire weapons would eventually start flipping your ship around. unless the ship counters this force with RCS bursts, but then you are wasting fuel. though admitedly its not much and a combat ship should have PLENTY of extra again.... anyway im just bringing this up

</noob>

 

[Ark]

also. any judicious use of projectiles would alter your own trajectory. the recoil from rapid fire weapons would eventually start flipping your ship around. unless the ship counters this force with RCS bursts, but then you are wasting fuel. though admitedly its not much and a combat ship should have PLENTY of extra again.... anyway im just bringing this up

</noob>

I'd put my weapon directly in line with the rear RCS thrust axis, and just have my flight programming set up to burst the RCS whenever rounds are fired.

Or, you could have self-propelled rounds like FFARs.

 

[Brycesv1]

FFARs?

 

[Andy44]

Torques induced by fired projectiles can be absorbed by gyroscopic devices and dumped overboard in between volleys.

 

[RisingFury]

Torques induced by fired projectiles can be absorbed by gyroscopic devices and dumped overboard in between volleys.

Actually, a better setup might be to position your guns symetrically around the ship and make them fire at the same time, so the torques cancel out.

 

[Brycesv1]

but then your slowing yourself down (or speeding it up in some cases) but that wouldn't affect anything beyond correctable values unless you had an uber cannon equipped

 

[RisingFury]

You'd be slowing yourself down (or speeding up) in any case... a symetrical gun setup just cancels out the torques.

It's true that it would accelerate you, bt if you had such big guns, then I'm assuming your engines are gonna be even bigger

 

[Brycesv1]

just for the sake of argument. lets assume this gun was brought into space in pieces, assembled there, then later attached to a ship... because you can always have a bigger gun

 

[Andy44]

What's the point? Relative velocity is more important than muzzle diameter in space. The bigger the gun you are carrying, the more mass you have to accelerate when you maneuver.

 

[Brycesv1]

bragging rights? too much free time? compensating for something?

 

[Sky Captain]

If it`s some sort of magnetic accelerator canon then bigger = better because longer accelerator track will allow higher projectile velocity.

 

[Ghostrider]

also. any judicious use of projectiles would alter your own trajectory. the recoil from rapid fire weapons would eventually start flipping your ship around.

That's why I advocate self-propelled rounds. The problem in the 50s when the made the Gyrojet weapons were slow-burning propellant which meant low muzzle velocity and machining issues which led to ammo not being made to exact spec. In a modern Gyrojet-like weapon the propellant should burn completely while the round is still in the barrel thus achieving maximum velocity at the muzzle (more or less like in a conventional firearm) and in space, that's the speed it will keep until impact.

 

[Hielor]

That's why I advocate self-propelled rounds. The problem in the 50s when the made the Gyrojet weapons were slow-burning propellant which meant low muzzle velocity and machining issues which led to ammo not being made to exact spec. In a modern Gyrojet-like weapon the propellant should burn completely while the round is still in the barrel thus achieving maximum velocity at the muzzle (more or less like in a conventional firearm) and in space, that's the speed it will keep until impact.

How does that solve the problem of the recoil from the launch sending you backwards? If you're doing all of your burning inside the barrel, you'll have just as much delta-v applied to the vessel as with a normal weapon...

 

[Ghostrider]

How does that solve the problem of the recoil from the launch sending you backwards? If you're doing all of your burning inside the barrel, you'll have just as much delta-v applied to the vessel as with a normal weapon...

Let the gas escape through ports. There will still be some momentum applied, but not that radical.

 

[Hielor]

Let the gas escape through ports. There will still be some momentum applied, but not that radical.

Well, I'm no expert, but I think in the process of redirecting the exhaust gasses out, you'd just be applying momentum in a different direction...

I guess you could have the "barrel" of the gun be open at the back, but then it's more like a rocket launcher than a gun...

 

[Ghostrider]

I guess you could have the "barrel" of the gun be open at the back, but then it's more like a rocket launcher than a gun...

Well, a Gyrojet weapon is a rocket launcher. It's not a conventional firearm, and the barrel is smooth (although commercial Gyrojets back in the '50s had shallow riflings to go around BATF regs, they didn't impact the projectile's trajectory in any way). In fact, the revolver cannon could have an open end and the firing could be electric rather than mechanical, using contacts in the round's base or even separate ringlike contacts around the projectile.

Good catch on the open-ending bit, although there should be a way to keep the round firmly in the firing chamber while the rest of the craft (or even the cannon if it's swiveled) wildly goes on a merry-go-round.